The present invention relates to a process for hydrocarboxylating vinyl acetate to produce .alpha.-acetoxypropionic acid and ultimately lactic acid.
It is known that carboxylic acids are produced by reaction of olefins with carbon monoxide and water in the presence of various Group VIII metal catalyst systems, notably iodide promoted iridium and rhodium catalysts, as well as some palladium catalysts such as the palladium halide phosphine complexes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,437,676 and the phosphine stabilized platinum or palladium complexes disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,887,595. However in general such procedures are primarily concerned with hydrocarboxylation of olefinic hydrocarbons or unsaturated compounds containing only non-reactive or non-interfering moieties and involve aspects (procedures) not suitable for hydrocarboxylation of reactive olefins such as vinyl acetate.